Board of Game and Inland Fisheries Meeting

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 9:00:00 AM

The Board of Game and Inland Fisheries will meet and intends to propose amendments to regulations governing hunting, trapping, game wildlife, wildlife diversity, fishing, fisheries resources, and boating. This is a periodic review and amendment process for these regulations, with the resulting amended regulations intended to become effective in 2008. A public discussion period on preliminary recommendations for regulations opened April 10 and closed June 15, 2007. At the July 17 meeting, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' staff will present recommendations for regulatory amendments, the Board will solicit and hear comments from the public, and the Board then intends to propose regulations or regulation amendments. Any proposed regulatory actions will be published in the Virginia Register of Regulations, posted on the internet at www.dgif.virginia.gov, and summaries advertised in newspapers. A public comment period on any proposed regulations begins July 24 and closes September 24, 2007. Adoption of any regulations or regulation amendments as final will take place at the Board meeting to be held October 16, 2007. The Board is exempted from the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4002 of the Code of Virginia) in promulgating wildlife management regulations, including the length of seasons, bag limits and methods of take set on the wildlife resources within the Commonwealth of Virginia; the Board promulgates boating regulations under the authority of § 29.1-701(E) of the Code of Virginia; and publishes all proposed and final regulations as required by § 2.2-4031.
The Board will also hear staff’s recommendation on a process for addressing the issue of hunting with hounds in Virginia. Staff intends to recommend working with affected stakeholders in 2007 and 2008 with the process resulting in recommended strategies prior to the 2009 legislative session.
The Board will receive staff's recommendations for webless migratory game bird and September waterfowl seasons and bag limits based on frameworks provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, solicit and hear comments from the public, and then adopt 2007-2008 seasons and bag limits for those species.
The Board will also receive public comments on non-agenda items, may discuss general and administrative issues, and may hold a closed session at some time during the meeting. For more information, please contact Board Secretary Beth Drewery at (804) 367-9149 or by email at beth.drewery@dgif.virginia.gov.